cor anglais

/ˌkɔːɹ ˈɒŋɡleɪ/

//ˌkɔːɹ ˈɒŋɡleɪ// noun

"cor-anglais" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cor anglais” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family that is pitched in F, one-fifth lower than the oboe and is consequently approximately one-third longer than the oboe.

Key facts for cor anglais
PropertyValue
Headwordcor anglais
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌkɔːɹ ˈɒŋɡleɪ/
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cor anglais” sits in English frequency

cor anglais falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

cor anglais is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌkɔːɹ ˈɒŋɡleɪ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family that is pitched in F, one-fifth lower than the oboe and is consequently approximately one-third longer than the oboe.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for cor anglais, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French cor anglais (literally “English horn”), calqued from a misunderstanding of Middle High German engellisches horn (“angelic horn”), from the resemblance of the instrument to horns played by angels as depicted in the Middle Ages. The correct English form is cor anglais, spelled C-O-R- -A-N-G-L-A-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family that is pitched in F, one-fifth lower than the oboe and is consequently approximately one-third longer than the oboe.

Etymology

Borrowed from French cor anglais (literally “English horn”), calqued from a misunderstanding of Middle High German engellisches horn (“angelic horn”), from the resemblance of the instrument to horns played by angels as depicted in the Middle Ages.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cor anglais"?
"cor anglais" is spelled C-O-R- -A-N-G-L-A-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌkɔːɹ ˈɒŋɡleɪ/.
What does "cor anglais" mean?
As a noun, "cor anglais" means: A double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family that is pitched in F, one-fifth lower than the oboe and is consequently approximately one-third longer than the oboe.
How do you pronounce "cor anglais"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cor anglais" is /ˌkɔːɹ ˈɒŋɡleɪ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "cor anglais"?
Borrowed from French cor anglais (literally “English horn”), calqued from a misunderstanding of Middle High German engellisches horn (“angelic horn”), from the resemblance of the instrument to horns played by angels as depicted in the Middle Ages. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “cor anglais”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-R- -A-N-G-L-A-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌkɔːɹ ˈɒŋɡleɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list